Or perhaps you knew her in Colorado, where she spent winters in the home she built with her husband, Hal, and where she could often be found dancing the night away at Perry Park Country Club’s annual Snow Ball. One of her paintings still hangs above the fireplace in the club’s Manor House.

Barbara Braly, 98, of Glen Arbor, Michigan, and Perry Park, Colorado, died peacefully at home on June 17, 2026.

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Heinz and Ilse Handorf, Barbara was especially close to her mother, whom she affectionately called Mutti. She often shared stories of this strong and independent woman, whose example inspired her own spirit of adventure and appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.

After a childhood spent with her brother, Milton, Barbara moved to California to attend UCLA, where she earned a degree in Physical Education and a minor in Art History. It was there that she met the love of her life, Harold Charles Braly. She loved telling the story of seeing him for the first time as she descended a staircase and how he later claimed to have fallen in love with her at that very moment.

Hal played football for UCLA before beginning a distinguished career in the Air Force, eventually retiring as a colonel in 1979. Together, Barbara and Hal raised twin boys, Scott and Brett and built a life centered on family, military service, and the outdoors. They enjoyed camping, fishing, traveling the world, and dancing to Frank Sinatra whenever they had the chance. After Hal’s death in 2013, Barbara continued to toast his photograph at the dinner table and delight family and friends with stories of their great love, never failing to mention his movie-star good looks.

Barbara and Hal, also known as Grammy and Grampy, treasured summers at Glen Lake with their son Scott and their granddaughters, Jennica and Jill. They have fond memories of climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes, playing cards, listening to live music at Boondocks, and, of course, stopping at the Pine Cone for ice cream before watching the sun set over Lake Michigan. Years later, those same traditions were shared with Jill’s daughters, Ayla and Olive.

A lifelong athlete, Barbara loved tennis, golf, and skiing well into her nineties. Friends occupied a special place throughout her life, and she cherished both lifelong friendships and those formed in her later years. Barbara will be remembered for her radiant smile, her practical elegance, and the countless stories she shared, preserving family history and bringing the past vividly to life. She lived a life filled with beauty, activity, friendship, and joy.

Barbara was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hal; her son, Brett; and her sister, Heidi Handorf Crissey. She is survived by her son, Scott Braly of Lincoln, Nebraska; her granddaughters, Jill Furgurson and her husband, Dan, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Jennica Braly of Lincoln, Nebraska; her niece, Stacy Crissey Knutson; and her greatgranddaughters, Ayla and Olive.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed to the Glen Lake Yacht Club, P.O. Box 463, Glen Arbor, Michigan 49636.

A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on August 10 at the Glen Lake Yacht Club, a place she loved deeply and where she served as Commodore and formed many lasting friendships.